diff --git a/internal/selfcompose/selfcompose.go b/internal/selfcompose/selfcompose.go
index aeb2730..2fe37d3 100644
--- a/internal/selfcompose/selfcompose.go
+++ b/internal/selfcompose/selfcompose.go
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
 	"slices"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -399,8 +400,7 @@ func (c *Composer) Watch(ctx context.Context, _ string) (<-chan agent.Update, er
 				case ins[t.in].changed != nil:
 					dirty = ins[t.in].changed(c, t.u) || dirty
 				default:
-					ins[t.in].take(c, t.u)
-					dirty = true
+					dirty = c.takeChanged(ins[t.in], t.u) || dirty
 				}
 				if len(merged) > 0 {
 					continue
@@ -468,6 +468,65 @@ func (c *Composer) caughtSent() bool {
 	return sent
 }
 
+// takeChanged takes u through in.take and says whether the entry it names changed: a want, a placement, a module or a
+// config value written again with the value it held changes nothing composed, so it makes no pass (issue 774,
+// 2026-10-31: every put under want.<node>.> made a pass, and each pass asked the vault for the node's own secrets).
+func (c *Composer) takeChanged(in input, u agent.Update) bool {
+	before, had, known := c.entry(in.bucket, u.Key)
+	in.take(c, u)
+	if !known {
+		return true
+	}
+	after, has, _ := c.entry(in.bucket, u.Key)
+	return had != has || !reflect.DeepEqual(before, after)
+}
+
+// entry is what the composer holds of one key of bucket, whether it holds it, and whether the bucket is one it knows.
+func (c *Composer) entry(bucket, key string) (v any, has, known bool) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	switch bucket {
+	case delivery.AssignerWantsBucket:
+		// A want is composed by its fingerprint alone (fingerprints); its words, rule and newest change nothing composed.
+		module := agent.NodeModule
+		if _, err := delivery.ParseWantNodeKey(key); err != nil {
+			node, m, err := delivery.ParseWantKey(key)
+			if err != nil || node != c.env.Node {
+				return nil, false, true
+			}
+			module = m
+		}
+		w, ok := c.wants[module]
+		return w.FP, ok, true
+	case delivery.PlacementBucket:
+		node, err := delivery.ParsePlacementKey(key)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, false, true
+		}
+		p, ok := c.placements[node]
+		return p, ok, true
+	case delivery.ModulesBucket:
+		name, err := delivery.ParseModulesKey(key)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, false, true
+		}
+		m, ok := c.modules[name]
+		return m, ok, true
+	case ResolvedBucket:
+		rest, ok := strings.CutPrefix(key, c.env.Node+".")
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, false, true
+		}
+		module, k, ok := strings.Cut(rest, ".")
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, false, true
+		}
+		val, ok := c.values[module][k]
+		return val, ok, true
+	}
+	return nil, false, false
+}
+
 func (c *Composer) takeWant(u agent.Update) {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
diff --git a/internal/selfcompose/selfcompose_test.go b/internal/selfcompose/selfcompose_test.go
index 01647d9..0fc00eb 100644
--- a/internal/selfcompose/selfcompose_test.go
+++ b/internal/selfcompose/selfcompose_test.go
@@ -546,6 +546,40 @@ func TestTheNodeComposesItsWantsFromTheBus(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("%s: a pass made %v, want %v", row.name, got, row.pass)
 		}
 	}
+	// Issue 774, 2026-10-31: every put under want.n1.> made a pass, and each pass asked the vault for the node's own
+	// secrets. A key written again with what it held, or a want whose words moved and not its build, makes none.
+	worded, _ := delivery.EncodeWant(delivery.Want{FP: fp, Self: true, Words: "lemurs is held at aaaaaaaaaaaa"})
+	elsewhere, _ := delivery.EncodeWant(delivery.Want{FP: delivery.SourcePrefix2 + strings.Repeat("e", 64), Self: true})
+	for _, row := range []struct {
+		name, bucket, key string
+		value             []byte
+		pass              bool
+	}{
+		{"lemurs's want again", delivery.AssignerWantsBucket, "want.n1.lemurs", want, false},
+		{"the node's own want again", delivery.AssignerWantsBucket, "want.n1.node", nodeWant, false},
+		{"lemurs's want with other words", delivery.AssignerWantsBucket, "want.n1.lemurs", worded, false},
+		{"the placement again", delivery.PlacementBucket, "placement.n1", place, false},
+		{"lemurs's module again", delivery.ModulesBucket, "lemurs", mod, false},
+		{"lemurs's want at another build", delivery.AssignerWantsBucket, "want.n1.lemurs", elsewhere, true},
+		{"lemurs's want back at its build", delivery.AssignerWantsBucket, "want.n1.lemurs", want, true},
+	} {
+		before := passes()
+		b.put(t, row.bucket, row.key, row.value)
+		if !row.pass {
+			quiet(t, out)
+		} else {
+			for done := false; !done; {
+				select {
+				case <-out:
+				case <-time.After(200 * time.Millisecond):
+					done = true
+				}
+			}
+		}
+		if got := passes() > before; got != row.pass {
+			t.Errorf("%s: a pass made %v, want %v", row.name, got, row.pass)
+		}
+	}
 	// And today's sequence whole: tool runs at its old build; its want and the trunk move to a build not yet done, and
 	// the node holds tool, keeping what runs, naming why; the build lands, and with no other change tool is handed at it.
 	{
@@ -629,7 +663,7 @@ func TestTheNodeComposesItsWantsFromTheBus(t *testing.T) {
 	b.mu.Lock()
 	n := 0
 	for _, s := range b.said {
-		if strings.Contains(s, "lemurs is wanted at") {
+		if strings.Contains(s, "lemurs is wanted at "+gone) {
 			n++
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/selfcompose/shadow.go b/internal/selfcompose/shadow.go
index 5a66209..5627274 100644
--- a/internal/selfcompose/shadow.go
+++ b/internal/selfcompose/shadow.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
-	"reflect"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -231,7 +230,7 @@ func (s *Shadow) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 			case t.in == 6:
 				changed = s.takeWant(t.u)
 			default:
-				changed = s.takeChanged(ins[t.in], t.u)
+				changed = c.takeChanged(ins[t.in], t.u)
 			}
 			if changed {
 				if t.in != 0 {
@@ -264,53 +263,6 @@ func (s *Shadow) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 }
 
-// takeChanged takes u through in.take and says whether the entry it names changed: a placement, a module or a config
-// value written again with the value it held changes nothing composed.
-func (s *Shadow) takeChanged(in input, u agent.Update) bool {
-	before, had, known := s.entry(in.bucket, u.Key)
-	in.take(s.c, u)
-	if !known {
-		return true
-	}
-	after, has, _ := s.entry(in.bucket, u.Key)
-	return had != has || !reflect.DeepEqual(before, after)
-}
-
-// entry is what the composer holds of one key of bucket, whether it holds it, and whether the bucket is one it knows.
-func (s *Shadow) entry(bucket, key string) (v any, has, known bool) {
-	c := s.c
-	c.mu.Lock()
-	defer c.mu.Unlock()
-	switch bucket {
-	case delivery.PlacementBucket:
-		node, err := delivery.ParsePlacementKey(key)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, false, true
-		}
-		p, ok := c.placements[node]
-		return p, ok, true
-	case delivery.ModulesBucket:
-		name, err := delivery.ParseModulesKey(key)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, false, true
-		}
-		m, ok := c.modules[name]
-		return m, ok, true
-	case ResolvedBucket:
-		rest, ok := strings.CutPrefix(key, c.env.Node+".")
-		if !ok {
-			return nil, false, true
-		}
-		module, k, ok := strings.Cut(rest, ".")
-		if !ok {
-			return nil, false, true
-		}
-		val, ok := c.values[module][k]
-		return val, ok, true
-	}
-	return nil, false, false
-}
-
 // revsOf is a proposal's keys' revisions, by node, as one word.
 func revsOf(keys map[string]candidateKey) string {
 	nodes := make([]string, 0, len(keys))